Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[reb]

Does that lip on the edge of the deck get in the way of opening the door on the side of the welder?

That was a problem I didn't expect when I cobbled together a welder stand on wheels - so I let the stand go when I sold that welder.

I like your cabinet better.

I flipped the shelf over on my welder cart when I assembled it to avoid that problem.

 

[Threepoint]

Must be at the discretion of the store. I've been told as recently as a couple months ago that I can't use a coupon on an item that's on sale.

Possibly, but I think Eric Smidt runs way too tight an enterprise to leave that to a store's discretion! In fact, I think HF is so computerized now that the register will automatically decline to honor a coupon on an item that is ineligible for any reason at the time. Even the store managers are limited in what they can override.

I do know that when there's a weekend "sidewalk sale" going on, the generic coupon can't be used on an item that happens to be listed in the "sidewalk sale" flyer. I learned that a few months ago when I picked something off the shelf not realizing it was also featured as a sidewalk sale item.

Love them or not, the HF business model is pretty impressive as it continues to evolve. It is a real American success story that started as a father and son small business. Ironic, since their core business has always been selling non-American made goods, principally from Asia.

 

[California]

The laser is interesting. You turn it on and off by pushing a button. So it's extremely easy to leave it on thinking it'll shut off when you stop cutting. ... it's easy to forget to turn it off ...]

For anything with a laser guide light I think its essential to remove the battery before storage, every time.

I ruined the new Ryobi battery ($40 to replace) that came with my Ryobi jigsaw, I think because I jumbled other tools on top of the jigsaw in storage and that turned the switch on.

 

[California]

Love them or not, the HF business model is pretty impressive as it continues to evolve. It is a real American success story that started as a father and son...

Kinda scary as a lesson too. After Eric became manager he brought in modern MBA and marketing types then booted Dad and Dad's old buddies out of the company. There's some history there. Eric, like Trump, had been sent away to boarding school or something when he was little. 'Be kind to your kids, for they will be choosing your rest home'.

 

[5030]

A quick heads-up for anyone thinking of buying a big-ticket Central Machinery item like a vertical milling machine, mini metal lathe, stationary metal bandsaw, floor-mounted drill press, etc. HF has recently started excluding its Central Machinery brand from some of its 25% and 20% coupons. Example is the current 25% "Friends and Family" coupon. I suspect that's soon going to become a regular exclusion. However, I found this on the coupon data base site, good only for two days, Dec. 31, 2019 - Jan. 1, 2020:

View attachment 632450

I was half thinking about ordering their 9-speed vertical knee mill, but finally lay down til the feeling passed. :laughing:

You can buy as real Series 1 Bridgeport used in good condition for about the same money. All one has to do is check spindle runout and table leasdscrew lash and that is easy to do. Lots of Series 1's out there. Bridgeport parts are readily available. The China knee mill, not so much.

Overall, HF machine tools are substandard in quality and a little shopping will net you the real McCoy. Bridgeports have ABEC Class 2 bearings in the headstock and are adjustable for pre load. The China Mills aren't (adjustable nor quality bearings).

 

[hunt4570]

For anything with a laser guide light I think its essential to remove the battery before storage, every time.

I ruined the new Ryobi battery ($40 to replace) that came with my Ryobi jigsaw, I think because I jumbled other tools on top of the jigsaw in storage and that turned the switch on.

You don't keep them in separate storage containers?? All of mine are separated. Piling tools up loose is a good way to break them!

 

[crazyal]

For anything with a laser guide light I think its essential to remove the battery before storage, every time.

I ruined the new Ryobi battery ($40 to replace) that came with my Ryobi jigsaw, I think because I jumbled other tools on top of the jigsaw in storage and that turned the switch on.

It's a corded jigsaw so as long as it's plugged in the laser will stay on unless you push the button to turn it off. Maybe when I turn the lights off in the shop it would be easier to see.

 

[dragoneggs]

My latest HF tool that doesn't suck is the Chicago Electric Welding Cabinet (Item #62275). I was very pleasantly surprised at how sturdy and well-designed it is. It has three drawers. The top one has nice metal dividers for consumables like tips and such, but it doesn't pull out as far as the others. There is a storage bin in the bottom perfect for a welding helmet. It also has a platform on the back for a gas bottle.

For anyone interested, I made a video covering the specs, assembly and my first impressions of it:

I'll do an update on it down the road to report how it's holding up.

I have used this cart for several years and it is solid. Nice drawers and the bottom flip up door holds 3 or 4 HF 4.5in disposable grinders.

 

[5030]

I have used this cart for several years and it is solid. Nice drawers and the bottom flip up door holds 3 or 4 HF 4.5in disposable grinders.

Found the smoke in another one this afternoon. Wasn't a HF, was a Porter Cable. Man did it stink but I did my typical thing, held the switch on until she sputtered to a stop. on a cloud of stinky smoke.

Always good to have spares on hand........

Beginning to think the Chinese cannot make a reliable motor.

 

[hunt4570]

You can buy as real Series 1 Bridgeport used in good condition for about the same money. All one has to do is check spindle runout and table leasdscrew lash and that is easy to do. Lots of Series 1's out there. Bridgeport parts are readily available. The China knee mill, not so much.

Overall, HF machine tools are substandard in quality and a little shopping will net you the real McCoy. Bridgeports have ABEC Class 2 bearings in the headstock and are adjustable for pre load. The China Mills aren't (adjustable nor quality bearings).

Kind of the same with all their power equipment!

 

[5030]

I have used this cart for several years and it is solid. Nice drawers and the bottom flip up door holds 3 or 4 HF 4.5in disposable grinders.

Nice video. You make a much better 'presenter' than I do.... and, you have more hair than I have.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Been looking at the metal one for a while now. Looks to be well made and a lot cheaper than a Viair. Don'ty see how the plastic ones would work. Compressed air get hot and plastic melts.

Both of the bigger ones are metal, the little yellow one is a plastic body but all of that style compressor have a metal sleeve with a plastic piston with usually a teflon face... The two bigger ones are built decently, the smaller one I've had for like 6 years and gets used occasionally, it's mostly metal with a plastic cover over the piston to keep fingers away from the hot cylinder. The bigger one has a plastic cover over the valve housing held on with one screw in the center for the same reason. The filters on both are simple and just keep the big stuff out but hasn't been a huge issue. I did have one friend that lost the rod bearings on his pump but that was after several years of being used several times a year doing what I described in my last post with 35" tires...

As stated above, 150psi is overkill and they probably just use that for marketing so they can have BIG NUMBERS... as I said, the big one is at least twice as fast as the next step down. I'm on my second one but my first got misplaced somewhere (either during a move or I lent it to someone... can't remember, and for $60 not going to lose sleep over it) so I don't discount it for that... It does come in a travel pouch but it's a complete PITA to put in so I just let things knot up and such...

 

[PhysAssist]

Been looking at the metal one for a while now. Looks to be well made and a lot cheaper than a Viair. Don't see how the plastic ones would work. Compressed air get hot and plastic melts.

This PM, I bought 2 of the smaller [100 PSI] metal ones- mainly because they only has one of the larger one, and it is is labeled an "air compressor" vs "tire inflator", and therefore is not eligible for any of the percent-off coupons.

I used the 25%-off coupon for one, and the 20%-off coupon for the other, and also the 5$ off 50$ total purchase coupon, and then bought some other smaller tools/bits using the 30%-off 5 items at $10 or less, all of which saved me a bunch of green...

Also, this guy [on Project Farm] performs pretty decent testing and gives pretty succinct reviews, while still leaving it up you to draw your own conclusions as to which attributes make a given item tested the most viable for your purposes. h

He also doesn't take any kick-backs or make any money from posting affiliate links: Which Portable Tire Pump is Best? Let's find out! - YouTube

Which is quite unlike "TheWirecutter.com"- where I often disagree with their choices and methods, most often because there are no objective measures used, with no evidence of independent testing, AND, they get kick-backs ["affiliate pay"] when you follow their links to Amazon, etc...

 

[PhysAssist]

I looked at the HF portable 12V compressors and was not all that impressed. They just did not seem well-made.

One thing to keep in mind when shopping Viair compressors: Make sure you get what you are looking for in terms of electrical and air hose connections: lighter plug on smaller compressors, Battery connect on larger ones (and some smaller models); the air hoses come in two flavors: "quick connect/flip lever" and screw on. Different models have different connections.

BTW, PhysAssist, do your really need 150 PSI for an F350 tire? I don't own an F350, but that seems REALLY high. The ability to go to higher pressures does not necessarily mean it will fill faster if you are only going to 30/60/90 PSI. You need CFM for faster fills. Often, a compressor will trade CFM for PSI to get the high PSI without going to high on the amp draw.

#1)- see: Which Portable Tire Pump is Best? Let's find out! - YouTube

No, I don't believe he tested Viair, and The Wirecutter does recommend those [https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-tire-inflators/], but I had one of the 100-PSI HF models and really liked it- until it froze up [which I now think I have figured out...]

I had a slow leak, and used it a couple of times in the space of 3 or 4 days, and then when I tried to use it another time, it was frozen up [and burnt out my accessory outlet fuses...]

However, when it failed, the ambient temperature had dropped from above freezing to -11F through the day while I was at work on a 12-hour shift, so I think in retrospect, it had gotten some moisture built up from using it the few previous times, and then froze solid when the temps plummeted, but what I don't understand is why it never worked again, and each time I tried it again, it burnt out my accessory fuses.

#2)- After my experiences and breaking my back standing on my head trying to replace the fuses, [and reading the Wirecutter's recommendations, I didn't want to have to use the cars' accessory outlets any more for this kind of [relatively] high-drain accessories, so I bought an extension cord that has battery clamps on one end, and an accessory outlet [cigarette light port] on the other, so I can run the "directly" off the cars' batteries...

#3)- No, I don't need 150 PSI for my truck's tired, however, the above was one of the reasons, I was thinking of getting the 150 PSI version- it has battery clamps as the OEM connectors.

The other reason were basically that whenever cost isn't a huge factor, I always prefer to get the heavier duty option, all other things being equal...

Especially as I tend to use my tools to their limits, [and sometimes find out that I have overshot somewhat :confused3:].

 

[Threepoint]

Hey PhysAssist, your most recent posts are showing up in huge font sizes and colors. Not sure how it works on this board, but maybe your font default settings got changed? :shocked:

 

[California]

Hey PhysAssist, your most recent posts are showing up in huge font sizes and colors. Not sure how it works on this board, but maybe your font default settings got changed? :shocked:

Ditto, the content is interesting but the font make my eyes bleed.

 

[lostcreekranch]

His posts are just fine on my iPhone and iPad?

 

[hunt4570]

His posts are just fine on my iPhone and iPad?

Big and red here...

 

[Threepoint]

Hmm. I just checked on my Android phone, and his posts are normal. On my hp laptop the font displays as ginormous and red.

 

[5030]

Phones have small screens....